YngGram

Just last week I realized that I was drinking incorrectly, I would get a sloshy sound on the left and feel the air as well. It would take some time before I would feel better. I simply was taking in to much at once, SIP, SIP SIP. I was also not eating the right way. 3 years and still learning.

It will not only get better, it will be so very worth it. Just follow what the doc told you, get the water/fluids in! This helps with the hunger and it helps to make the band work correctly as well as help you heel. Don't get down on yourself the journey is hard for many people. Move around often, this will help with gas; the kids will help that happen. If you take a step off of the path, don't worry just go back to doing the right thing. See your doc as you should for fills and you will do fine. Walk when the family eats, if you can. Stay strong and congrats.

Welcome Shannon. I am a couple of months in front of you and I got a fill on Mon. It took me to 6cc in my 10cc band. This is the first time I have felt true restriction; I am over the moon. At my lowest I had lost about 67 lbs. from the true start of my journey. I lost 47 of that after getting the band and I lost 16lbs all of last year. I have been fighting about 8 lbs with a come and go kind of thing, hence the reason for the fill. That and the hope it would get me moving in the right direction. The week before I re-read my manual from the doc and started to do some things differently...I lost 2 lbs.! Good luck, I turely hope you find us helpful.

I don't know how to measure either; but this past weekend I tried for the first time and it worked. 1/8c each of veggies & starch and 2-3 oz of protein. Eat the protein first (I can't so I do two bites of protein for 1 of the other), no starch then 1/4 c of veggie. I took smaller bites, took more time and found that I was very happy. The reason was because I didn't have the discomfort that I usually felt. I got a fill on Mon., first time having real restriction. I have no choice now, and I am very happy to finally be in this place. I will have to do some protein bullets and add some protein drinks to make sure I get in 62-65 grams daily. I haven't been able to eat all of a meal since the fill, but I haven't been stuck or uncomfortable. I am really looking forward to start loosing again.

I might be far off, I've only got 3 years in. How much have your bodies change? I don't know if babies push things around, or if shrinking organs can make a difference. I really wish I only needed to get 5-20 lbs off, ver nice job. You might just need an adjustment, small but enough to get you back to where you want to be.

Your thoughts might be right in bad choices, however I recently realized that I was tight when I didn't get enough WATER! I am tight in the AM, my day starts around 10, but that first meal is about 2. About 3 weeks ago I had a couple of days when I couldn't eat without discomfort. When I took a look at what I'd had, the water was very short. Temps and impending stroms make me tight as well. Stress is a big one for me as well.

I got a fill on Mon. taking me to 6cc and I think I have found it finally. I don't feel tight, but three or four forks of chicken and I am done. Also, I have started the last two days with a protein drink just to test the waters, greek yogurt for lunch and them light dinner. NO HUNGER all day. I have to eat slower (mistake I've made in the past), but it is just great for now.

Yup, they need to be able to find it for fills . They are attached just under the skin, I have had one before and this one much easier to find, if I suck in I get an extra bellybutton.

New lessons learned just in the past week. 3 years into this you would think I had most of it figured out long ago. I lost about 65 lbs, in about 6 months and I settled in that range until about 6 weeks ago and it started to come back on and I wasn't getting it to come off. Not only that I was bloated and uncomfortable with most things healthy. I made an appointment for a fill but had to see the doc first. Fill is tomorrow, when I was in last week I asked for a copy of the book I was given after surery. Now I know that I didn't fully understand what I was trying to do. I didn't know how to (hadn't really tried) measure my protein. I don't sip my fluids, and would get stuck on water. I was taking bites to big, I only have about 5 cc in the band. The food would go down but I would get unfortatable after eating. My husband watches me closely to see if I need to "walk it off"; a couple of trips through the house and a big burp will have me breathing normal. I was chewing well but it was too much. Not stuck, but very heavy feeling after one or two forkfulls, and then I was hungry in no time; even scrambled eggs. This weekend I was very mindful of the bite size keeping in mind not wheather it would go down, but how I would feel. I had chicken parm w/pasta, ribeye, and veggies. I measured, took much smaller bites, and found that it was easier to swallow and NO discomfort. Now I haven't had but 3 fills and 1 unfill, thought I was to tight but had only irrated my throat then waited to long (fear) to refill. It has been a year so I really hope that this fill and understanding will get me back on track. Now I also understand that I was not being thoughtful about what, how much, and when I put things in my mouth. It the begining that seemed a lot easier to do, goodbye coffee creamers and sweet tea will become a weekend treat. :wub:

Wow, I have been banded over 3 yrs., doc says it's only about 5cc in my band. Funny thing is I decided to get a fill next week, saw him last week and low and behold.....I realize that I don't know what I'm doing. I don't understand how to measure my food, (I haven't made much effort in doing so) and I did today. I felt very different when I ate. I am rereading the guide book I was given and I am getting a better understanding. Doc says we should be able to eat most anything, just smaller amounts. Today I had chicken parm, Pasta and broccoli, I didn"t feel stuffed or uncomfortable. The band is supposed to help us stay full longer on less food. There are many who mange to loose without adjustments and others who don"t with many adjustments. I haven't had many problems, that's just been luck; but I am just starting to see what I should have done to keep things moving. I stopped loosing and recently started to gain. HORROR!!! This is what I have learned. My bites are to large, no problem chewing but when I swallow it is to much and I get uncomforatble. This is what makes me eat what I shouldn't. Hunger is not nor never has been my problem, I am a mindless eater. I nibble and such. I forgot that I still need to sip my liquids. I can get the stuck feeling on water; now I am starting to see these things. Today, I feel very different than I had been feeling. I got overexcited about the 63lbs. I lost. I did it without much work, just gave up lots of sugar. Occasionally I exercised, but no rotuine to it or regularity. Because of this I am slipping into some bad habits The weight is coming back, so that's why the fill on Mon. I plan to get my head in it and work with the tool I have. Take a good look at what you're doing and you might find (as I did) that you aren't doing things the way you should. I don't drink with meals, and until today I thought the uncomfortable feeling was the way it was suppposed to be. If you don't find an answere to your problem then a fill might make you feel like it's to much and you end up going in for an unfill. Good Luck

Not only that, I need a family set! Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!!

It's sad, but at 3 years out I still don't know/understand how to measure my food. It was covered pre surgery, I didn't get it then. I think I "blocked" the info because I didn't want to be a slave to the band. I thought I would be able to make the changes without it running my whole life. Now that I am not loosing, and will be getting a small fill next week I have to own that I will need to do more to get (loose) more. I have a scale, it's easy to put on a chicken breast, but no idea how to deal with frozen veggies. Is is 3 oz. of meat and 1 oz of veggie for the 1/2 cup I should be eating? Some say volume, again I am lost. They showed me a deck of cards, that's easy enough for the meat but..... HELP!

Oh boy, I am right there with you! I got my band in March 09 and I was able to drop about 63 lbs. I was thrilled to be a size 12 and not have the pain in my knees and joints. I am not very happy with me right now, I have put on about 10 lbs. in the last couple of months. Off to see the doc tomorrow and a fill on Fri., it's been almost a year since a fill which put me at 5.5cc and I hope it will get me going in the right direction.

I lost about 4lbs in just over a week when I gave up the southern sweet tea. I did like you and started to make changes early to see if it would help. The things listed above really are good, I happen to like water and I just have to remind myself now to drink, cold is best for me. I start my mornings with a full glass when I take my meds, fill a 32oz cup to sip on throughout the day. I try to refill it at least once to give me the 64 oz the doc recommends for me. I have also been told that it is very important for us to stay hydrated to help the band work correctly. My big problem now is coffee and those dang flavored creamers.<3 If I could just give those up.

My husband seems to think it is his job to make a comment every time I cross mine. I hadn't realized I could do it until he told me I did it so often. That was when I remembered when I couldn't do it. It is important to us girls. GREAT WORK YOU

USMCR 1978-1985 USMC WIFE 1977-1997 MARINE FOR LIFE!

I am not aware of any, but I am sure that are some. I do know that there are many cons to this surgery and for many different reasons. It is a hard choice to make, and an even harder one to live with. You see, it is not a magic wand that makes the pounds disapear, it does not make chocolate chip Cookies good for you. It also does not stop you from eating more than you should. Many people learn to eat around the band, against the band and gain. Or they choose to live with their bands to tight, loose major pounds but wreck their bodies because they are constantly vomiting or not getting proper nourshiment. The band is a lifestyle change, at least IMO and that was why I choose it. I didn't want to have my tummy cut in bypass, and I needed to know that it could be adjusted to help keep me on the right path. I also didn't want to give up all the foods I enjoy, I just needed to be able to have some controll rather that it controlling me. Depending on your reasons for even considering WLS it might not be right for you. I needed to get the weight off because of my health. HBP just wasn't enough; being told that obesity had a side effect of cancer was what sent me searching. I did well my first two years, I feel better, sleep better and I even feel better about myself. Or at least I did until today. I had a medical procedure today and was told not to take my BP meds, well my pressure was up enough that I had to be given something so the doc could do my screening. I have been lazy the 6 or so months and have gained about 8lbs. Well I hadn't reached goal but was maintaing in an area I was happy with. I now know that the party is over and it's time to get back to it. I haven't done enough yet to be as healthy as I intended, I just got thrilled that I didn't have to shop at the fat shop. Make your choice for you as you need it. Everything has a con, I know of people who died from yo yo dieting.

I found this today and even though I have been at this over 3 years it opened my eyes. It might help you, sure wish I had found it a year ago. http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Hello Ladies, I had my band placed in 09 at St, Marys. If I can help either of you in anyway just hit me up and I will share.

I am tight in the morning, sometimes something hot doesn't help and I just have to wait 3 hrs. to have something other than yogurt.

IIf you aren't carrying twins, it won't happen this time. I can usually just have hot coco to get me going. I have also done castor oil without problem. Are you getting your water in?

The reason is because each surgeon seems to handle the procedure differently. My doc put 2cc in my band at surgery and wouldn't do a fill for 6 weeks. I had a liver shrink preop diet for two weeks that to me seemed like a ton of food. I was on full liquids the afternoon of surgery. You might not have yet done damage, but you really do need to go with what you were told; there is a reason. Also, much of this is about trainning your mind as well as your body to work with your new tool. Good luck, we are here for ya.

My DH is retired and TriCare is our coverage; don't know if it is ture for your uncle. My band was covered.

I'm not sure which group they are, it is my understanding that a couple of them joined together since I had mine done. I went through Richmond Sugerical at St. Mary's, the group you mentioned I think was at VCU. If you aren't happy look elsewhere, I did. Dr. Brengman was excellent and the staff as well. It is over an hour from my home, but I am glad that I made the choice. Good luck, the medical staff will very important in your success in this journey.

10 years last month!! It has been on my mind so much lately that I can't focus on much of anything else. I am now 54, and I must say that I do have more energy with the lost weight. Years of my doc telling me to lose weight really didn't sink in, one day he casually said "You know that one of the side effects of obesity is cancer?". That was all I needed to start seriously looking at WLS. It's been 3 years and I only wish I had done it earlier. Right now I am not following the rules and paying the price. Scale is going in the wrong direction, I am one who really doesn't have true restriction so I have to stay on top of things. I don't get hungry so my problem is usually due to liquid overflow (coffee creamer). I wasn't hungry befor surgery, I was a mindless eater and now a mindless drinker. I was listing surgeries the other day and was shocked by how many I've had. The breast reconstruction was 12 hours and I am so glad it was an option. No I'm not even, and the scars are unreal; I even managed to burn my fake nipple off with a heating pad. Oh well. I am reasonably healthy, very much happier and I dang sure look better